10 'Shallow' Traits That Actually Make You More Attractive
Being shallow isn't always a bad thing, as these attributes prove.
Valeri Vatel / Shutterstock As much as we may not want to admit that we prefer certain things such as a six-pack over a dad bod or the hourglass figure that's all over social media, there's a bit of science hidden in what's largely passed off as superficiality.
The dictionary definition of superficial is when someone is exclusively concerned "only with surface aspects or obvious features." So how can you tell if someone is a superficial person? Superficial people have certain telltale traits.
Here are 10 traits of a superficial person:
1. They love being the center of attention
You know those people, who are always talking loudly in crowded restaurants and who won't shut up about their ex-boyfriend from 6 years ago.
2. They lack the ability to see past looks
That one friend you have is always harping on about the way others look? Dump her.
3. They're materialistic
They can't imagine why you would ever go to a thrift store, and they always have to buy something everywhere they go.
4. They're opportunistic
That girl just got dumped by her boyfriend of 4 years? Yeah, her best friend is already looking up ways she can snag him for herself. Yikes.
5. They're judgmental
They don't understand that people make mistakes, and a lot of times, they're trying to get better.
6. They're overly self-involved
These kinds of people fail to understand why not everyone needs their opinion.
7. They love to gossip
If they gossip with you, they gossip about you.
8. They have trouble listening
They just wait for you to finish talking so they can get back to whatever they were talking about.
9. They lack morals
They're not afraid to cause a scene if they don't immediately get what they want.
10. They lack self-awareness.
It's hard to be around people who don't see the damage they cause.
While no one wants to be called superficial (who wants to spend their life with someone who only has good looks to offer, after all?), what turns our heads and turns us on often bases itself on biology.
Here are 9 'shallow' traits that actually make you more attractive:
1. Your body language
It only takes 90 seconds to determine if you're attracted to someone.
Researchers have found that it takes between 90 seconds and four minutes to decide if you want to pursue a relationship or sexual experience with someone.
Practice your nonverbal communication skills and stand up straight because a whopping 55 percent of this assessment is based solely on body language. The tone of voice and speed of language also has a large impact (38 percent), whereas only seven percent is based on the actual words being spoken.
2. Wearing red
Want to attract the sexy so-and-so across the room? Wear red.
Studies have shown that both men and women are more attracted to members of the opposite sex who are wearing this color, but for different reasons. Men see women in this color as more physically attractive whereas women equate red with power.
3. Being tall
Psychologists Cindy Meston and David Buss, authors of Why Women Have Sex, found that 80 percent of women surveyed preferred men six feet or taller. A muscular, athletic physique (with a "V" shaped torso with broad shoulders) was preferred both for long-term relationships as well as short-term sexual liaisons.
4. Having white teeth
The color of your chops matters. One three-part study found that male and female participants were 54 percent more likely to get a second date after having their teeth whitened. The same study found that yellow teeth can also harm your career.
Participants were 58 percent more likely to be hired and 53 percent more likely to receive higher salaries after simply whitening their smiles.
5. Facial hair
According to a study out of Sydney, women equate facial hair with masculinity and good health (especially when at their most fertile).
That said, "heavy stubble" is the preference over clean-shaven and full beards (even though the latter is equated with having excellent parenting potential).
6. Long hair
Psychological Science, Proceedings of Biology Science, and Archives of Sexual Behaviors reported that men associate long hair with youthfulness and fertility, making it more attractive on average than shorter locks.
7. Having a "mathematically even" face
According to experts, "mathematically average" faces are considered ideal because they're seen as representing better reproductive health and are more genetically diverse. The distance between your eyes and mouth should be 36 percent of the length of your entire face, while the distance between your eyes should follow 46 percent of the width of your face.
A woman's hip-to-waist ratio is also taken into consideration. According to New Zealand anthropologist Barnaby Dixson, a woman with 0.7 — or a waist measurement of exactly 70 percent of the hip circumference — is ideal.
8. Straight teeth
Kelton Research found that men and women with straight teeth are seen as better looking, smarter, more successful, more social, and even more trustworthy. Those with straight teeth are also 57 percent more likely to get a date based on their photo alone than those with crooked teeth.
9. A bright smile
Researchers in Switzerland found that happiness is a key component in the assessment of attractiveness for women, but less so for men. Women who smiled big and often were deemed as more appealing, but men who smiled "slightly" (which conveys a sense of pride) were deemed more attractive to women.
Brenda Della Casa is the Author of Cinderella Was a Liar, The Managing Editor of Preston Bailey and Gotham Bandit, A Huffington Post Blogger, and the founder of BDC Life In Style.